UNC Football: Tar Heels ranked 20th in preseason Coaches Poll

We’re now more than a week into August and the countdown to college football season is well and truly on. Now, another milestone on the march to opening kickoff has been ticked off as Monday saw the release of the USA Today Coaches Poll for the preseason.

After winning the now defunct Coastal Division last season and returning star quarterback Drake Maye, the coaches saw fit to rank North Carolina, as the Tar Heels finished #20 in the first poll for the new season. They finished in a cluster including #19 Oklahoma, #21 Wisconsin, and #22 Ole Miss, as just 17 ranking points separate those four teams.

Elsewhere in the poll, there weren’t too many surprised at the top. Two-time reigning national champions Georgia top the preseason rankings, receiving all but five of the first-place votes. Rounding out the top five in order is Michigan, Alabama, Ohio State, and LSU. The Crimson Tide and the Buckeyes were the other teams to get first-place votes with four and one respectively.

As for the ACC, there are two conference mates ranked in this season’s inaugural poll. Florida State are the highest at #8, while Clemson follow right behind them at #9. Pitt, NC State, Miami, Wake Forest, and Duke are among the “others receiving votes.”

Clemson are the only currently ranked team on Carolina’s schedule, although there are a bunch of others who got votes. South Carolina — who just missed out and are unofficially #27 — Minnesota, Pitt, Miami, Duke, and NC State are all teams who got some votes and are set to play the Tar Heels this year.

While it’s always nice to get some love in any poll, the coaches poll is typically the undercard to the AP Poll, which is set to come out next week. It won’t be surprising to see the Heels ranked in that one as well. Either way, it’s set to be a fairly interesting season in Chapel Hill.